Businessman surprised standing in front of a closed office

The following is a statement from Peter Thillman, vice president of economic development for the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce:

“For 146 years, the people and surrounding businesses of the Fox Cities and Kimberly-Clark have worked together to manufacture paper products that are known and recognized around the world. It’s on this foundation of our shared long-term history and partnership that we ask Kimberly-Clark to delay the September 30th decision regarding the possible closure of its Cold Spring facility.

While we are in the midst of a very contentious campaign season, the Fox Cities Chamber requests Kimberly-Clark to postpone their decision until November 30, 2018. The Fox Cities Chamber is requesting this extra time to allow our elected officials to work together in a bipartisan manner to pass AB 963 and ultimately save good family-supporting union jobs. Sixty extra days to preserve a 146-year manufacturing relationship is a reasonable request.

There’s too much at stake when it comes to potentially losing a valued partner like Kimberly-Clark. The East Central Regional Planning Commission calculated that the potential economic impact includes more than $106 million in annual lost payroll and the loss of a total 1,440 direct, indirect and induced jobs. In addition, the potential closure would have a devastating impact on the 230 companies within Kimberly-Clark’s supply chain that account for $56 million in annual sales. For the Fox Cities these few extra days will give our elected officials the opportunity to do the right thing for our communities and businesses.

Thank you, Kimberly-Clark, for being a valued partner of the Fox Cities community. We hope that you will consider our request as a step forward in our shared future.”